What to see and do in Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is an extremely fun national park to explore. It’s absolutely huge covering about 337,598 acres of canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches and spires in the heart of Utah’s desert. If you’re visiting Utah, Arches National Park or Moab, make sure you stop by at Canyonlands National Park. And, when you do, here’s what to see and what to do in Canyonlands National Park.

The park is split up into several different districts. You can’t reach cross between districts within the park itself due to the rivers – you have to drive outside the park to get to and from them. The most popular district in terms of visitors is the Island in the Sky as it’s the easiest to get to from Moab. Because of this, this list focuses on the Island in the Sky but if you’re visiting other districts of Canyonlands National Park then scroll on down for an overview of those.

What to see and what to do in Canyonlands National Park

1. Watch the sunrise at Mesa Arch

Mesa Arch is one of the most well known features in Canyonlands National Park. It’s supposedly beautiful at sunrise when the sun beams shine through the arch, but it’s pretty great whatever time you visit (we went mid-afternoon).

2. Visit Green River Overlook

From this view point you’ll be able to get a good view of the river that’s caused this amazing landscape. It still surprises e how something so little looking (from up on the top of the canyon rim, anyway!) can creat something so huge and impressive!

3. Gaze out at Grand View Point

This was probably my favourite view in the whole of Canyonlands. If you’re going to Canyonlands National Park definitely put this on your to do list! From the viewpoint you can walk along the rim for a while.

4. Hike to Mesa Arch

Every visitor to Canyonlands should make the short and easy hike to Mesa Arch. It’s only 0.5 miles out and back and you’ll get some great views! It does get busy in the middle of the day but you won’t be queuing for photos like you would at Arches National Park’s Delicate Arch.

5. Hire a 4×4 and drive the White Rim Road

If you own a 4×4, or are interested in hiring one, then the White Rim Road is where to take it. The White Rim Road goes down into the canyon so you’re lower than the Mesa Top where most visitors will be, but not quite down by the river. It looks like a great trail to drive. You’ll need to get a backcountry and 4×4 permit to do so and the whole think (all 100 miles) takes about 3 days.

6. Spend a night in the park

There are a couple of ways to spend the night in the park. You can either book a spot in the park’s campsites (book early; they fill up quick). Or, you could get a back country permit and camp in the wilderness.

In 8 hours you can

Hike one of the more strenuous trails into the White Rim Trail (see the best hikes to do in Canyonlands)

Enjoy lunch whilst hiking, or have a picnic at one of the park’s picnic areas

What to do in the other Canyonlands districts

The Needles

What to do in 2 hours

Drive to Big Spring Canyon Overlook

Hike the Pothole Point trail

Picnic with a view of The Needles

What to do in 4 hours

Explore the scenic drive

Hike the Cave Spring, Pothole Point and Roadside Ruin trails or the longer Slickrock trail

What to do in 8 hours

Drive the scenic drive in The Needles

Hike to Chesler Park Viewpoint or hike around the Big Spring-Squaw Canyon loop

The Maze

The Maze is the least accessible district of Canyonlands National Park. You need to have a 4×4 to access it as it’s very remote with bumpy, unpaved roads. However, I’m sure this makes it a lot of fun to explore!

If you don’t have a 4×4 there were plenty of places in Moab renting them. The park rangers reckon it’ll take anywhere from three days to a week or more to explore The Maze district so go prepared for a week in the wilderness; pack plenty of water and food!